That, and the physical act of being alone, is enough to send someone over the edge if they can’t reel in the workings of their own mind. The quiet has a power that is unexpected.

Social distancing, known to me as theact of being alone, is one of the most vital things people can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is essential, not optional, no matter what your cousin on Facebook says.

And now that Gov. Bullock has issued a Shelter-in-Place order for the state of Montana, none of us here really have a choice. Most students at UM are lucky. They have roommates or they can go back to live with their families. The silence may creep in, but it’s always temporary.

But I live in a studio apartment, and social distancing here, entirely alone, is a different beast.

Social distancing isn’t a bad thing. I’d rather be physically apart from the people around me than unwittingly infect them with coronavirus. It is a sacrifice, yes. But it’ is one I would make over and over to keep the people around me safe.

On most days, I love living alone. I love being able to have dance parties for hours or read aloud. I love baking bread in the middle of the night or coming home late and not worrying about waking someone up.

Isolation has never been something that has bothered me. When I spent two months traveling, I did it alone on purpose. I wanted to know myself in a way that I only could if I was by myself.

But now that I am truly isolated, with no way to physically be around other people, things are different. The silence is louder. If I get lonely, I can’t go sit in the Roxy or take myself to a crowded diner. I can’t sit on a friend’s floor and share a bottle of wine. I can’t ask for a hug.

But in this loneliness, I have found other ways to comfort myself. While I am alone, I don’t feel like I am suffocating in my own company. So I stick to a routine. I move my body, even if it’s only stretching or dancing through my tiny studio. I eat three meals a day. I am allowing my body to rest.

I bake and I read and I listen. I trust my hands to knead dough. I trust that books bring me comfort. And day after day, there is always new music to listen to.

I am finding joy in things I didn’t expect. When my plants grow or there is a particu- larly beautiful sunset, my heart feels warm and there is a break in the grayness of being alone.

I end each night by reading in my bath until the water is cold or I am too tired to read another chapter. This brings me so much happiness that I think I’ll continue it after this is all over. I never had time to read before, but now I am swimming in it.

I call or Facetime my friends every day. My best friend and I used to always miss each other’s calls, but now we talk for hours. I have friends who are willing to sit with me through the silence.

Social distancing may still feel like isolation, but it doesn’t scare me anymore.I know that I can find something each day that brings me joy and that is enough to get me out of bed.

And when things adjust, because I don’t think they will never truly go back to normal, I’ll sit in a crowded movie theater. I’ll get dinner with my friends. I’ll hold someone’s hand. I’ll hug and I’ll love and I’ll go dancing.